After Dr Karlien Linde completed her MSc in Occupational Hygiene at North-West University, she worked for three years as an occupational hygiene consultant. As an occupational hygiene consultant, she would go to a variety of workplaces to measure workers' exposure to various environmental stressors such as chemicals, noise and biological agents. This gave her an overview of the health risks that are posed to workers in different industries. This allowed her to share real-life experiences with my students when she started working at the University of Limpopo.
Dr Linde studied the exposure of workers on a macadamia nut and avocado farm to solar ultraviolet radiation for her PhD project to determine their risk of developing health problems due to their exposure. This included measuring their skin colour to determine the level of their genetic protection, their actual exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation as well as their current use of measures to reduce their exposure.
Currently, she is interested in the exposure of workers in other industries than agricultural workers to solar ultraviolet radiation but also various workers' exposure to endotoxins and heat stress. The knowledge regarding the exposure of workers to environmental stressors is limited, not only in South Africa but the whole African continent. Only by knowing to what extent workers are exposed to not only common hazards but emerging hazards as well, can we start implementing measures to keep workers safe by decreasing their exposure.
